Photo shows Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal. They meet again in 2026 World Cup final

Yamal was just a few months old and Messi, then 20, was an emerging talent when the photos were taken, according to the photographer. Published July 17, 2026 Claim: A 2007 photograph authentically shows a young Lionel Messi bathing Lamine Yamal when he was a baby. Rating: Ahead of Spain and Argentina's faceoff in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on July 19, many people online claimed that two soccer stars on opposing sides shared an unusual connection. Social media users shared a photograph (archived) that purportedly shows a young Lionel Messi, Argentina's star forward, bathing Spanish star Lamine Yamal, who was then a baby. A series of images showed Messi washing a baby in a bathtub, holding the baby and the baby's mother helping Messi with the bath. The above photographs are authentic and indeed show Messi bathing a baby Yamal. UNICEF organized the photoshoot in 2007 as part of a fundraiser shot by freelance photographer Joan Monfort. As such, we've rated this claim as true. We reached out to Yamal's mother, who was in the photoshoot, to learn more and will update this post accordingly. After the photographs circulated online, UNICEF released (archived) a statement alongside one of the photos confirming its authenticity: Yes, those photos you've seen are real. More than 18 years ago, a baby named Lamine Yamal and his mom Sheila met Lionel Messi at a UNICEF fundraising photoshoot. Today, their achievements on the pitch inspire millions. Off the pitch, both Messi and Lamine Yamal use their voices and platforms as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors to support and advocate for children around the world. The goal? That every child survives, thrives, and fulfils their potential. We are proud to have them on our team. Credit: Joan Monfort Monfort, who captured the images, works as a freelance photographer for the Associated Press. He told the AP in a 2024 interview that the photoshoot took place in a visitors' locker room in Barcelona, when Yamal was just a few months old and then-20-year-old Messi was an emerging talent. A local newspaper and UNICEF had started a charity drive in which Barcelona players posed with children and their families for a calendar. Montfort said, "We made the calendar with the help of UNICEF. So UNICEF did a raffle in the neighborhood of Roca Fonda in Mataró where Lamine's family lived. They signed up for the raffle to have their picture taken at the Camp Nou with a Barca player. And they won the raffle." "Messi is a pretty introverted guy, he's shy … He was coming out of the locker room and suddenly he finds himself in another locker room with a plastic tub full of water and a baby in it. It was complicated. He didn't even know how to hold him at first," Monfort added. In 2024, Monfort told ESPN: When Messi came in, he was a bit surprised. He would have expected a kid and he got a baby. Messi would have been 19, 20. I think it will be the first baby he had picked up in his life but in the end, it went well. When you first pick up a baby, you're terrified: he'll break here, he'll break there. The first time I held my daughter, I had no idea. It's hard, and for Messi it was hard too. He was stiff, tense. My daughter was 4, I could explain a bit, but it was the mum who really helped. I had enough going on holding my camera and everything, not doing that. But thanks to [Lamine's] mum it got easier and then he got it right. He's become an expert since, eh? Monfort also described visiting Yamal's father to confirm the child in the photos was the Spanish soccer star, in his ESPN interview: "Please don't make me doubt now. I spoke to his dad. He was the only one who knew the photo existed. I went to Rocafonda one day. He said: 'Maybe it's Lamine blessing Messi, no?'" In 2024, Yamal's father posted one of the images on his verified Instagram (archived) account with the caption, "The beginning of two legends." Yamal's father frequently posts pictures of himself and his son on the same account. Yamal is considered to be Spain's superstar of the tournament, while Messi is often described as one of the greatest athletes of all time. Snopes has covered numerous rumors about the FIFA World Cup. Sources "Brilliant Barça Duo Leading La Roja in Defence and Attack." FIFA, 14 July 2026, https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/pau-cubarsi-lamine-yamal-young-player-award-spain-final. Accessed 17 July 2026."Destiny" Brought Messi, Yamal Together for Iconic Photo. ESPN, 16 Aug. 2024, https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/40882536/destiny-brought-barcelona-lionel-messi-lamine-yamal-together-iconic-photo. Accessed 17 July 2026."Messi Is the Best Player at the World Cup, and the Best Male Athlete of All Time." ESPN, 17 July 2026, https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49379413/messi-best-player-2026-world-cup-best-male-athlete-ever. Accessed 17 July 2026.PerryCook, Taija. "12 FIFA World Cup Rumors We've Tackled." Snopes, 22 June 2026, https://www.snopes.com//collections/fifa-world-cup-rumors/. Accessed 17 July 2026."Photo of a Young Lionel Messi with Lamine Yamal as a Baby Resurfaces after Almost 17 Years." AP News, 8 July 2024, https://apnews.com/article/messi-yamal-euro-photo-59f929c17bc0994134e7b63facd0ea0e. Accessed 17 July 2026. By Nur Ibrahim Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing. Article Tags